Headlight bezel ring mounting



R.- N. FALGE HEADLIGHT BEZEL RING MOUNTING Filed Oct. 22, 1949 :inventor-` Patented Aug. 4, 1953 HEADLIGHT BEZEL RING MOUNTING RobertpN. Falge, Anderson, Ind., assignor to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Delaware Application October 22, 1949, Serial No. 123,014 4 Claims. (Cl. 24U-41.5)

The present invention relates to headlamp mounting devices and more particularly to mounting devices for lamp units comprising a metal reflector lens and source of light sealed as a unit and commonly known as sealed beam lamps.

Such mounting devices are used extensively in the automotive industry and comprise a cupshaped casing` in which a ball member with means for attaching a sealed beam lamp is adjustably mounted. The casing may be formed either as a separate stamping or may be formed integrally with the fender of the vehicle as is the common practice at the present time. To conceal the exposed edgesof the lamp and casing and provide a nished appearance to the assembly, a door frame or bezel is attached to the casing and surrounds the lens of the lamp. Heretofore it has been the practice to weld or solder a metal lug to the inner surface of the door frame, the lug being adapted to recess in a slot in the casing to provide a pivotal connection between the casing and the door frame. The door frame may be further secured to the casing by a threaded member passing through the door frame and engaging a threaded recess formed in the casing. This practice has been found undesirable in that it requires an additional grinding operation Where steel is used as the material for the door frame and the lug is Welded to the frame and further where brass is used as the material for the door frame and it is provided with a chrome plated surface. Small amounts of chrome attached to the door frame at the point where the lug is to be soldered interfere with the soldering operation preventing the obtaining of a good soldered connection.

Accordingly, it is the object of the present invention to provide a simple fastening device which provides a lug for attaching the door frame to the casing and eliminates the need of a welding or soldering operation.

This and other objects are accomplished in accordance with the present invention by providing a fastening device of wire having spring characteristics and capable of attachment to the door frame to provide a lug for pivotally connecting the door frame to the casing of a headlamp mounting device.

For a better understanding of the invention reference may be had to the accompanying drawing in which Figure 1 is a side elevation view of a lamp mounting device embodying the fastening device of the present invention; Figure 2 is an enlarged view taken along the line 2-2 of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a perspective view of the fastening 2 device; Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure .1 illustrating a. modification of the fastening device; Figure 5 is an enlarged view taken along the line 5--5 of Figure 4 and Figure 6 is a perspective view of the modication.

Referring now to the drawing and particularly to Figure 1 there is illustrated a headlamp mounting device comprising a cup-shaped casing 2, a unitary lamp assembly 4, which is secured in the casing by any suitable means such as disclosed, for example, in the Patent 2,266,329 of Mead et al. dated December 16, 1941. To provide a cover for the exposed edges of the casingand unitary lamp a door frame or bezel 6 is provided which is positioned adjacent theedge of the casing 2 and surrounds the annular edge of the unitary lamp 4. The casing 2 is provided with an inwardly recessed annular flange 8 which is formed with a slotted recess I0. To attach door frame 6 to the casing 2 a wire lug I2 isvprovided. The wire lug is formed of a material khaving spring characteristics and has a head portion I 4 with laterally extending parallel legs I6. The head portion I4 and laterally extending legs provide a generally U-shaped lug which is adapted to be received in the aperture I0 of the casing 2. Extending from the legs I6 are generally semicircular loops I8 which extend laterally of said legs and outwardly of the lug. The semi-circular loops I 8 terminate in angularly spaced legs 20.

The wire lug I2 is secured in the door frame by providing inturned edges 22 and 24 on the door frame which are adapted to receive the ends of the loops I8 and the ends of the projecting legs 20 respectively. With the wire lug I2 secured to the frame in this manner the generally U-shaped portion extends inwardly of the door frame and provides the lug adapted to be received in the aperture I0 to pivotally attach the door frame to the casing. To further secure the door frame to the casing a threaded member 26 is provided which passes through an aperture 28 in the door frame at a position substantially opposite that of the wire lug IU and is received by a member 29 attached to the casing 2 and having a threaded recess therein.

A wire fastening device forming a modification of the present invention is illustrated in Figures 4, 5 and 6 and includes outwardly directed spiral loops 30 forming continuations of the legs 20. This modification is particularly adapted for use in mounting devices in which an annular rubber gasket 32 is mounted in one of the inturned edges of the door frame for engaging the lamp unit to prevent the passing of water or moisture into the lamp mounting device. The fastener of the modi- 3 cation is adapted to be received in the door frame as hereinabove described except that the outwardly directed spiral ends 30 engage the gasket 32 to hold it in place in one inturned edge of the door frame.

With the fastening devices hereinabove described a lug is provided for the door frame which is simple, easily attached to the door frame and eliminates the undesirable operations of welding or soldering a metal lug to the door frame.

While the embodiments of the present invention disclosed herein constitute preferred forms, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted all coming within the scope of the claims which follow.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a device for mounting unitary lamp structures including a casing having an inwardly recessed annular flange with a slot therein and a door frame with inturned edges pivotally mounted on said flange, a wire lug for providing a pivotal connection between said door frame and said casing, said lug having a generally U-shaped portion recessed in said slot, semi-circular loops extending laterally and outwardly of said U- shaped portion into recessed engagement with one of the inturned edges of said door frame and angularly spaced legs extending from said loops with their ends in recessed engagement with the other of the inturned edges of said door frame.

2. In a device for mounting unitary lamp structures said device including a casing having an inwardly recessed annular flange with a slot therein, a doorA frame with inturned edges and a sealing gasket mounted in one of said recessed edges, said door frame being adapted for positioning on said flange, a Wire lug for providing a pivotal connection between said door frame and said casing, said lug having a generally U-shaped portion recessed in said slot, semi-circular loops extending laterally and outwardly of said U-shaped portion into recessed engagement with the other inturned edge of said door frame, angularly spaced legs extending from said loops, and spiral loops extending outwardly of said legs, said spiral loops engaging and holding said annular sealing gasket in the other inturned edge of said door frame.

3. In a lamp mounting, a casing with an inwardly turned flange having a slot therein, a bezel with return-bent flanges and means for swingingly mounting the bezel on the casing including a wire member which includes legs engaging the return-bent flanges on the bezel and a U-shaped portion which connects and is disposed at an angle to the legs and extends into the slot in the casing flange.`

4. In a lamp mounting, a generally cup-shaped casing having a recess adjacent the edge thereof, a bezel provided with a pair of opposed return bent franges, and means securing said bezel to said casing comprising a Wire member having legs resiliently pressed between the return bent anges on said bezel and a generally U-shaped portion connected and angularly disposed to said legs, said U-shaped portion extending into said recess.

ROBERT N. FALGE.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 724,242 Baker Mar. 3l, 1903 1,528,382 Matteoli Mar. 3, 1925 1,884,076 Michel Oct. 25, 1932 2,266,329 Mead et al. Dec. 16, 1941 2,344,716 Mears Mar. 21, 1944 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 517,191 Great Britain Jan. 23,1940 416,535 Great Britain Sept. 17, 1934 

